System for spraying the interior of a container

Abstract

A spraying system and method is provided for more efficiently accessing the interior of a container having an access opening to the container that is offset from or in angular relationship to the center and/or rotational axis of the container to contact the interior walls and surfaces of the container with a medium, such as a liquid, mixture, solution or suspension. The spraying system and method includes a non-linear boom that is elevated by a support structure, where the non-linear boom includes at its front end a plurality of spray nozzles. In one example, the support structure is a movable support structure that includes a guide mechanism where the guide mechanism is mounted on the moveable support structure at an angle relative to the surface supporting the moveable support structure to allow access to the interior of the container.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for spraying the inside of a container having an access opening to the interior of the container that is offset from the center or rotational axis of the container, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) supporting a non-linear boom on a support structure having a guide system mounted therein for engaging and supporting the non-linear boom in an angled and elevated position, where the guide system has a first gear for dynamically engaging and supporting the non-linear boom at a first position along the length of the non-linear boom and at second gear positioned at a second position along the length of the non-linear boom from the first gear and at a height differing from the first gear to moveably support the non-linear boom at a second position along the length of the non-linear boom, the first gear in communication with a reversable motor to move the non-linear boom;   b) inserting the non-linear boom into the access opening to the container that is offset from the center or rotational axis of the container by engaging the motor of the guide system to move the non-linear boom from a retracted to extended position by rotating the first gear on the drive system, where the non-linear boom is curved along its length and has an angle of curvature ranging from 45 to 135 degrees, the non-linear boom comprising a first and second conduit members extending the length of the non-linear boom, and a bottom conduit member, all of which are curved along their length; to create the angle of curvature of the non-linear boom and have a front end and back end where the back end is elevated above the front end, and where the first and second conduit members each include at least one spray nozzle positioned on the front end of the first and second conduit; and   c) connecting first and second flexible water lines on the elevated back end of the conduit member to supply water to the first and second conduit member by extending the flexible water line upward to the elevated back end of the first conduit member and connecting the flexible water line to the elevated back end of the first conduct member with a flexible hose connector for introducing and discharging water into the interior of the container through the at least one spray nozzle;   d) running a product supply line to the back end of the bottom conduit member for carrying the product supply line to an atomizing nozzle positioned on the front end of either the first or second conduit member,   e) providing channels on the support structure for guiding the first and second flexible water lines and product supply lines to the back end of the non-linear boom so that the first and second flexible water lines and product supply lines do not interfere with the support structure;   e) introducing the cleaning solution medium into the conduit member through the product supply line; and   f) discharging the cleaning solution through the atomizing nozzles at a pressure and for a time sufficient to spray the interior of the container.   
     
     
         2 . A method for spraying the inside of a container having an opening to the interior of the container that is offset from the center or rotational axis of the container, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) supporting a non-linear boom having a front end and back end elevated above the front end on a support structure that moves vertically to elevate the guide system at different positions and that further includes a guide system having a first gear for dynamically engaging and supporting the non-linear boom at a first position along the length of the non-linear boom and a second gear positioned at a second position along the length of the non-linear boom from the first gear and at a height differing from the first gear to moveably support the non-linear boom, where the first gear is in communication with a reversable motor that when actuated turns the first gear to move the non-linear boom from a retracted to extended position, the non-liner boom being curved along its length from the front to back end of the non-linear boom and includes a conduit member having a front end and back end, where the conduit member includes at least one spray nozzle positioned on the front end of the conduit;   b) aligning the opening to the interior of the container with the front end of the non-linear boom by moving the support structure vertically to raise or lower the guide system;   c) inserting the non-linear boom into the opening in the container by moving the non-linear boom from a retracted to an extended position through actuation of the motor; and   d) spraying medium into the interior of the container through the at least one spray nozzle at a pressure and for a time sufficient to spray the interior of the container, where the medium is received through the conduit member by a supply line running to the back end of the non-linear boom and guided to the back end of the non-linear boom by at least one channel positioned on the guide system to prevent the supply line from interfering with the movement of the guide system.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  where the step of spraying the medium into the interior of container further includes introducing the medium into the at least one spray nozzle in multiple stages. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  where the conduit member includes at least one atomizer nozzle positioned on the front end of the conduit and where the step of spraying medium into the interior of the container includes spraying medium through at least one spray nozzle for a predetermined period of time followed by spraying medium though at least one the atomizer for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  where the step of supporting a non-linear boom on a support structure having a guide system further includes the support structure supporting the guide system at an angle relative to the surface on which the support structure rests. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  where the support structure supports the guide system at an angle of between 35 to 65 degrees relative to the surface on which the support structure rests. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further includes the step of aligning the opening to the interior of the container with the front end of the non-linear boom by the support structure moving the guide system vertically to elevate the guide system at different positions. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  where the step of supporting the non-linear boom on a support structure system having a guide system includes the guide system supporting the non-linear boom at an angle off set relative to the center axis of the container. 
     
     
         9 . A method for spraying the inside of a container having an access opening to the interior of the container that is offset from the center or rotational axis of the container, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) inserting a curved boom having a front end and back into the access opening to the container, where the curved boom has an angle of curvature along its length and includes a first and second conduit member each having a front end and back end, where the back end is elevated above the front end, where the first conduit member includes at least one spray nozzle positioned on the front end of the conduit and where the second conduit member includes an airline running through the second conduit member to supply compressed air to the spray nozzle, where the curved boom is supported in an elevated position by a support structure; and   b) introducing a medium into the first conduit member through a flexible water line by elevating the flexible supply line to the elevated back end of the first conduit member and connecting the flexible water line to the elevated back end of the first conduct member;   c) introducing compressed air into the airline by elevating an airline to the back end of the second conduit member and running the airline through the second conduit member to supply compressed air to the spray nozzle,   d) providing channels on the support structure for guiding the flexible water line and airline to the back end of the non-linear boom so that the flexible water line and airline do not interfere with the support structure; and   d) discharging the medium through the spray nozzles at a pressure by entraining the medium with the compressed air and for a time sufficient to spray the interior of the container.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  where curved boom includes a third conduit member and where the first and third conduit members together include at least four spray nozzles positioned on the front end of the first and third conduit members, where medium is introduced into the third conduit member through a second flexible supply line connected to the elevated back end of the third conduit member and where the step of discharging medium into the interior of the container includes spraying a cleaning solution through the at least four spray nozzles for a predetermined period of time.